Garment or ironing press



April 17, 1934. J. ZIMARIK GARMENT 0R IRONING PRESS Original Filed May2-2, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. flw/v Z/MA PM A TTORNEYS April 17,1934. J. ZIMARIK 1,954,974

GARMENT OR IRONING PRESS Original Filed May 22, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1I l I l I E I l 1 [I M Hu WI] 1" IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS A ril 17, 1934. J. ZIMARIK GARMENT 0R IRONING PRESS 5Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed May 22, 1929 INVENTOR.

JbH/v Z/MA R/K.

ATTORNEYS l atented Apr. 17, 1934 STATS PrsNr oFFIo GARMENT OR IRONINGPRESS Application May 22, 1929, Serial No. 364,983

Renewed November 19, 1932 s Claims.

This invention relates to presses and particularly to garment or ironingpresses such as are used in laundries, tailoring establishments, etc.

The general purpose of the invention is to provide an improved press,including simple, mechanical means by which a preliminary closing forceis applied to close the press and then a final heavy force is applied tothe closed press members. A further object 'of the invention is toprovide 10 pressure applying mechanism adapted to compensate forlooseness due to wear in the parts or variations in the thickness of thework and maintain the working pressure.

The foregoing and other purposes of the inven- 16 tion are attained inthe press illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below.It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificform thereof shown and described.

20 Of the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a garment or ironing press embodying theinvention, the press being shown in open press position.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the press in closed position; and

Figure 3 is a rear elevation thereof.

The garment press to which the invention has been applied includes pressjaws such as a buck 1G and a head 11, the buck being mounted on asupporting frame 12, and the head on a lever 13 pivoted at 14 on astandard 15 extending upwardly from the rear of frame 12. A pair oftoggles 16 are pivoted on the bottom of frame 12 at 17 and connectedhingediy as at 18, 13 to the lever 13 rearwardly of pivot 14.

Springs 19, 19 are connected between the bottom of frame 12 and the rearend of lever 13 so as normally to urge the press open as shown inFigure 1. A single mechanism including a bellcrank lever 20 pivoted onframe 12 at 21 and having one arm thereof connected by a yoke link 22 tothe toggles 16, 16 is arranged to apply the preliminary closing andfinal heavy forces to the press or press jaws through toggles 16.

The other or free arm of the bell-crank 20 is operatively associatedwith a single movable actuator element 23 preferably arranged to beoperated by a fluid motor having a fluid pressure cylinder 24. Cylinder24 may be fixedly mounted in a vertical position on frame 12 and thepiston thereof may be directly connected to the actuator 23, which maybe guided for vertical reciprocation by means of vertical bars 25extending upwardly from a bracket 25 on opposite sides of the actuator23. Pairs of rollers 26, 26 carried on the actuator element 23 cooperatewith said bars. The bars 25 may be supported at their upper ends bybrackets 27, 27 extending rearwardly from standard 15.

The arm of the bell crank 20 which is engaged by the actuator 23 is theprimary part of the construction. The other arm of the bell crank 20with the link 22 and the toggles 16 comprise the preferred connectionsbetween the first arm of the bell crank 20 and the press jaw 11 toactuate the latterwhich connections may be of any desired form orconstruction. It is this pivoted arm in conjunction with the shoulder 28and the cam portion 29 of the actuator 23 which produces a rapid initialmovement of the jaw and a slower and more powerful movement of the jawfor producing jaw compression irrespective of how this arm is connectedwith the press jaw or head 11.

The actuator or actuator element 23 is formed with a notch or shoulder28 in its front edge ad- 76 jacent the top thereof and below said notchor shoulder the front edge of the actuator constitutes a cam portion orwedge 29. When the actuator is in its lower-most position (Figure 1) thefree arm of the pivoted arm or bell crank 20 is engaged by the shoulderor within the notch 28, a roller 30 preferably being provided on the endof said arm for engagement with the actuator. The parts are so arrangedthat as the press closes, the free arm of the bell crank is rotatedbecause it is engaged within the notch 28 until the press is nearlyclosed whereupon the roller 30 disengages or moves away from the path ofmovement of the notch or shoulder 28 and rides along the cam or wedge 29to apply final heavy 330 pressure to the press jaws through thebell-crank 20 and toggles 16.

To cushion the movement of the press, a suitable dash pot including acylinder 31 may be pivotally mounted on top of the bracket 25 as at 32and the piston rod 33 thereof may be hingedly connected to the rear endof lever 13 at 34.

The press is preferably provided with a selfcontained air compressorunit 35 arranged in the frame 12, the pressure tank being connected by aduct 36 to a suitable valve mechanism 37 and the latter is connected bya duct 38 to the lower end of the cylinder '24. The valve mechanism 37also has a relief line 39 thereon, on which is a muiiier 40. The valve37 is operable by a two-hand control mechanism including hand levers 41connected by links 42 to arms 43 of the valve operating mechanism, thelatterbeing adapted to be locked to hold the pressure. The engagement ofa dog 4 with a notchedarm .45,

locking of which is controlled by connections 46 with the pressactuating means so that the press cannot be locked in closed positionwith pressure in the motor until the press is substantially closed.Since the above two-hand control mechanism constitutes a separateinvention detailed description thereof herein is believed unnecessary.

In operation of the press to close the same, air is supplied underpressure to the cylinder 24 of the motor which causes the actuator 23 torise, whereby shoulder 28 lifts the free arm of bell-crank 20 and thelatter through link 22 expands or straightens the toggle 16 andsubstantially closes the press. As the press closes the free arm orroller 30 of the bell-crank 2 0 rides onto the wedge 29 which continuesto travel upwardly and said wedge applies a heavy pressure to the pressjaws through the bell-crank, link and toggles. Regardless of thethickness of the work between the press members or any loosenessdeveloping from wear in the toggle and linkages, the working pressurewill be maintained by the press without frequent adjustment or Itightening of the parts because the wedge 29 will adapt itself to theseconditions, the actuator traveling greater or lesser distances upwardlyas the conditions vary to produce a final predetermined pressure on thework as determined by the pressure of the air and the mechanicaladvantage of the wedge, lever and toggle system.

To open the press, the air pressure supply is cut off from the motor andthe pressure in the cylinder 24 is relieved, whereupon springs 19 causethe head 11 to swing upwardly to its open position.

It will appear from the foregoing that a simple, effective press hasbeen provided by the invention. Obviously modifications thereof may beresorted to without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A garment or ironing press comprising a buck, a head movable towardand from the buck, a leverpivoted intermediate its ends for carrying thehead on one end thereof, a toggle connected to the other end of saidlever, a pivoted bell-crank, one arm of said bell-crank being connectedto said toggle to straighten the toggle, a fixed fluid pressurecylinder, at reciprocable actuator operable by the cylinder, saidactuator having a shoulder thereon and a wedge adjacent the shoulder,the other arm of said bell-crank being adapted for riding on saidshoulder andwedge in succession during movement of the actuator in onedirection respectively for closing the press and for applying a finalpressure thereon, and yielding means normally urging the head to itsopen position.

2. A garment or ironing press comprising a buck, a head movable towardand from the buck, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends for carryingthe head on one end thereof, a toggle connected to the other end of saidlever, a pivoted bell-crank, one arm of said bell-crank being connectedto said toggle to straighten the toggle, a fixed fluid pressurecylinder, and a reciprocable actuator operable by the cylinder, saidactuator having a shoulder thereon and a wedge adjacent the shoulder,the other arm of said bell-crank being adapted for riding on saidshoulder and wedge in succession during movement of the actuator in onedirection respectively for closing the press and for applying a finalpressure thereon.

3. A garment or ironing press having a buck, and a movable headcomprising toggle means for moving the head toward the buck, means foractuating said toggle including a pivoted bell-crank, one arm of whichis connected to the toggle to straighten the same and to move the headtoward the buck, and a single actuator adapted during movement in onedirection to cooperate with the other arm of said bell crank to swingthe head toward the buck and to apply a final pressure between the headand buck, said actuator having a shoulder thereon, and a Wedge below theshoulder on which the said other arm of the bell-crank is adapted toride first on the shoulder and then from said shoulder onto the wedge toapply the final pressure between the head and buck when the press isclosed.

4. A garment or ironing press having a buck and a movable headcomprising toggle means for moving the head toward the buck, means foractuating said toggle including, a pivoted bellcrank one arm of which isconnected to the toggle to straighten the same and to move the headtoward the buck, and a single actuator having a wedge portion andadapted during movement in one direction to cooperate with the other armof said bell-crank to move the same directly to swing the head towardthe buck and to move said other arm of the bell-crank through a wedgeaction, after the head has come in contact with the buck to apply afinal pressure to the head.

5. In a toggle operated press, a movable actuator provided with ashoulder and a cam portion, a toggle, and connections between theactuator and toggle to operate the latter including a pivoted memberforming a part of said connections and resting on the shoulder to bemoved by the actuator to close the press and adapted to pass on theshoulder onto the cam portion as the press is closed whereby continuedmovement of the actuator will apply heavy pressure to the press, andmeans for moving the actuator,

6. In a press including relatively movable press members, a movableactuator for relatively moving said press members, said actuator beingprovided with a shoulder and a cam portion, and motion transmittingmechanism between the actuator and a press member including a pivotedelement forming a part of said motion transmitting mechanism and adaptedto rest on the shoulder to be moved by the actuator to close the pressand also adapted to ride from the shoulder onto the cam portion as thepress is closed, so that continued movement of the actuator after thepress is closed will apply a final pressure to the press members throughsaid mechanism.

'7. A garment or ironing press comprising cooperating press jaws one ofwhich is movable towards and from the other, a movable actuator having ashoulder and a cam adjacent the shoulder, a pivoted arm engaged by theshoulder and movable thereby away from the path of movement of theshoulder during at least a portion of the initial movement thereof sothat the arm has moved out of engagement with the shoulder during thelatter part of the movement of the actuator, the pivoted arm beingengaged by the cam after it disengages from the shoulder, and meansoperatively connecting the pivoted arm with the movable press jaw.

8. A garment or ironing press comprising cooperating pressjaws one ofwhich is movable towards and from the other, a movable actuator having ashoulder and a cam adjacent the shoulder, a pivoted arm having a partthereof engaged by the shoulder and movable thereby away from the pathof movement of the shoulder during at least a portion of the initialmovement thereof so that the part has moved out of engagement with theshoulder during the latter part of the movement of the actuator and intothe path of the cam, said part being thereafter engaged by the cam afterit has disengaged from the shoulder, and means operatively connectingthe pivoted arm with the movable press jaw.

9. A garment or ironing press comprising cooperating press jaws one ofwhich is movable towards and from the other, a movable actuator having ashoulder and a cam adjacent the shoulder, a pivoted arm engaged by theshoulder and movable thereby away from the path of movement of theshoulder during at least a portion of the initial movement thereof sothat the pivoted arm has moved out of engagement with the shoulderduring the latter part of the movement of the actuator, the pivoted armbeing engaged by the cam after the arm disengages from the shoulder, atoggle operatively connected with the movable press jaw, and meansoperatively connecting the arm with the toggle to actuate the latter.

10. A garment or ironing press comprising cooperating press jaws one ofwhich is movable towards and from the other, a movable actuator having ashoulder and a cam adjacent the shoulder, a pivoted arm having a partthereof engaged by the shoulder and movable thereby away from the pathof movement of the actuator during at least a portion of the initialmovement thereof so that the part has moved out of engagement with theshoulder during the latter part of the movement of the actuator and intothe path of the cam, said part engaging the cam after it disengages fromthe shoulder, a toggle operatively connected with the movable jaw, andmeans operatively connecting the pivoted arm with the toggle to actuatethe latter.

JOHN ZIMARIK.

